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I can’t believe I haven’t written about this sooner. Though consumers are buying tablet computers in greater numbers than classic computers, that hasn’t removed the necessity for a laptop or desktop computer. Sooner or later these need to be replaced and that will now mean buying a PC that ispreloaded with Windows 8. And I can say without hesitation, folks despise Windows 8. I might be able to help with that.

Mental health is one of the subjects that everybody likes to talk about, and that’s just about where it stops: talk. Mental health is a big issue, and when someone in your family is facing a bout with mental illness it is very scary. I’m not going to tell you how to cure any illness, as I don’t possess those powers, nor am I going to tell you what is the correct decision for your family—that’s your decision to make. I’m writing this article to present to you various options available to you in the Fredericksburg area, and I will also include my personal experience.

The American Library Association’s Choose Privacy Week was May 1-7. Oops—dropped the ball on that one. Still, one of the key points of Choose Privacy Week is that privacy awareness is something we all have to take seriously all the time, particularly online. A common mistake when considering privacy is assuming that it is something we possess naturally and have taken away from us by others. The reality is that privacy is something we have to actively claim for ourselves and work for every day. Our electronic world does not allow for anything less. People become understandably indignant when their sense of privacy is violated. I’m not trying to blame the victim—indeed, the potential victims are any or all of us. Nevertheless, we need to recognize that today’s world of hyper-connectivity and big data doesn’t allow us the luxury of treating privacy as a given.

The votes are in and the winners have been chosen. The 7th and 8th grade students at Rodney Thompson Middle School have chosen their favorite titles for this year's Cafe Book program.

Top Picks:

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex
A boy who may be part changeling, twins involved in a bizarre secret experiment, and a clurichaun in a red tracksuit try to save the world from an evil cereal company whose ultimate goal is world domination.

Michael Vey seems like an ordinary teenager, but he has a unique power. After his mother is kidnapped he and his friends have to find his mother and fight the hunters to save other kids with the same powers.

Gayle Middle School's 7th and 8th graders have voted on the top picks of this year's Cafe Book titles to determine which ones are their absolute favorites.

Top Pick:

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
Michael Vey seems like an ordinary teenager, but he has a unique power. After his mother is kidnapped he and his friends have to find his mother and fight the hunters to save other kids with the same powers.

In a future Beverly Hills, biological warfare has made sixteen year-old Callie and her younger brother orphans. In order to survive, Callie agrees to the newest fad – body renting – where seniors use her body to re-live their youth, but she ends up caught in a web of lies and assassins.

Michael Vey is a small, weak-looking teen with Tourettes who has finally had enough. When a pack of bullies pushes him to use his hidden electric powers, Michael discovers that a beautiful cheerleader has similar skills and soon they must battle a dangerous scheme with a powerful corporation.

It always seems to happen at the most inopportune time. You need to fix your car or small engine, but you don’t have a repair manual. What’s more, the library is closed. Don’t worry! Instead of waiting for the library to open and driving all the way there, you can get the same information at home using two of our online databases. Best of all, they are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Auto Repair Reference Center has information on cars including repairs, wiring diagrams, bulletins, and more. Small Engine Repair has information on all types of small engines, including outdoor equipment, motorcycles, tractors, and more.

In the past I have lambasted Barnes and Noble's Nook products for a number of reasons, but none of them have to do with device itself. I dislike how eBooks purchased from B&N are encrypted with the credit card number used to purchase them (don't forget that number!). I dislike how stripped-down the app selection is. I dislike their severe lack of media offerings. But the device itself? It's got good specs! Nice HD screen, decent processor speed, expandable storage, slick design—it's got all the makings of a great tablet, save for the fact that it has been tethered exclusively to Barnes and Noble's horrible business practices. But that has now changed with a significant price drop and the addition of the Google Play app store. If you're on the fence about a tablet purchase, I now have to actually, grudgingly recommend the Nook HD over everything else!